Bishop backs down over plan for male-only lay ministers

[Brendan]

In a letter read out in parishes on Sunday, Bishop Kieran O’Reilly acknowledged the concerns raised by lay women and groups in the western diocese about the permanent diaconate.

The move came after Kathleen McDonnell, a member a parish pastoral council in west Clare, had criticised the move to set up the men-only lay ministry and had called on the diocese to create a ministry for all

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independent.ie/irish-news/bishop-backs-down-over-plan-for-maleonly-lay-ministers-30589330.html

I don’t know which is more sad, the objection to the addition of permanent Deacons into a diocese because the ministry is reserved to males

or the fact that, once again, the media doesn’t research the Catholic Church enough to know that Deacons are not laymen.

 

[SuperLuigi]

or the fact that, once again, the media doesn’t research the Catholic Church enough to know that Deacons are not laymen.

Gee, there’s a shocker!

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

I think neither of your points are terribly surprising.

Many Catholics don’t understand that deacons are ordained so it makes a certain amount of sense that the mainstream media wouldn’t understand it either.

As far as not starting something that’s open only to men – well, I guess that’s not surprising either. In this country, certainly part of the reason that dioceses aren’t instituting acolytes and lectors is that they are open to men only and bishops know better than to offend a huge number (maybe the majority?) of their flocks. If the permanent diaconate was something brand new in this country it might not get off the ground either.

 

[Brendan]

I In this country, certainly part of the reason that dioceses aren’t instituting acolytes and lectors is that they are open to men only and bishops know better than to offend a huge number (maybe the majority?) of their flocks. .

In which case, about the saddest thing is when a bishop follows the Church’s teaching on a the nature of a ministry and that somehow offends large numbers of his flock…